Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.

My understanding is that interest income derived "in the ordinary course of a trade or business" is considered business income and is subject to SE tax.

I always use a mixture of sources between Furnished Finder, Zillow, DPGO, and other sites to understand the supply and demand of MTRs in the given market. 

If you settle i would understand the consequences of that on your insurance.

Many OOS investors set themselves up for failure because they don't truly take the time to understand:1) The Class of the NEIGHBORHOOD they are buying in - which is relative to the overall area.2) The Class of the PROPERTY they are buying - which is relative to the overall area.3) The Class of the TENANT POOL the Neighborhood & Property will attract - which is relative to the overall area.4) The Class of the CONTRACTORS that will work on their Property, given the Neighborhood location - which is relative to the overall area.5) The Class of the PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES (PMC) that will manage their Property, given the Neighborhood location and the Tenants it will attract - which is relative to the overall area.6) That a Class X NEIGHBORHOOD will have mostly Class X PROPERTIES, which will only attract Class X TENANTS, CONTRACTORS AND PMCs and deliver Class X RESULTS.7) That OOS property Class rankings are often different than the Class ranking of the local market they live.8) Class A is relatively easy to manage, can even be DIY remote managed from another state.

This is a two-way interview, so have a short list of questions to ask the mentor (What books do you recommend I read to gain a better understanding?

Just make sure you understand the higher risks association with those types of rentals.

Just an opportunity to fellowship with other experienced landlords that understand our business. 

I understand that section 8 of course is dealing sometimes with properties that are rougher neighborhoods not the Taj Mahal but they certainly deserve respect.

It’s very important for the borrower to understand all the above and how it works.